1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device and method for dispensing a chemical product, and more particularly, to a chemical dispensing system for expelling a ready-to-use chemical product from a collapsible bag by means of fluid pressure.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Typically, devices for applying a chemical product, such as garden sprayers, include a means for pressurizing the contents of a product tank. For example, a hand-held sprayer, as shown in U.S. Pat. Des. 296,229, provides pressure to liquid in a supply tank by means of a hand- or finger-operated pump, thereby forcing the liquid through the sprayer dispenser.
Other sprayers provide pressurization by means of an external source of pressure, such as water or air. Air is typically added by means of an inlet port which connects to a pressurization pump, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,884.
Other known sprayers provide pressurization by means of addition of water to a closed container containing the chemical product, to force the product out of a dispenser. Typically, the liquid, usually water, is mixed with the chemical product in the closed container to produce a water solution, which is then applied by means of the sprayer. Therefore, the resultant solution is a dilution of the chemical product contained in the closed container. Examples of such dilution sprayers include those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,782,982; 4,930,664; 4,930,686; and U.S. Pat. Des. 281,299.
Connectors and valves have been developed to allow connection between a pressurizing hose and a closed container to form a dilution sprayer. Examples of such connectors and valves are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,064,170; 5,307,887; 5,307,995; and U.S. Pat. Des. 280,924.
An additional means of supplying pressurization is by way of a flexible diaphragm, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,034,896. The flexible diaphragm disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,034,896, is disposed between an upper half and a lower half of an elliptical sprayer container. A chemical to be dispensed is placed in one half of the elliptical container. A garden hose is attached to the other half of the elliptical container. As water is added to the other half of the elliptical container, the flexible diaphragm moves into the half of the container containing the chemical, pressurizing that half by reducing its volume. As the volume decreases, the chemical product is forced from the container. However, this diaphragm device suffers the problem that the chemical must be poured into the container, and mixed with water as necessary before applying.
In the known devices, the chemical applicator tank must be cleaned after use to remove chemical residue from the interior of the tank. In many of the known applicator devices, this cleaning is cumbersome or ineffective because the opening to the chemical applicator tank is too narrow.
For example, in the device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,034,896, the half of the container that contained the chemical must be cleaned after use. The disclosed method of cleaning the container is to flush the container with water during the next use, in which the elliptical container is flipped over so that the half that held the chemical product is now used to add water pressure, and the half that previously held water to increase pressure is used for chemical. This process is cumbersome and presumes that the user will continue to repeatedly use the sprayer system. If the user stops alternatively applying chemical, he must then rinse the half of the container which contained chemical applying water separately, perhaps requiring removal of the garden hose from the other half of the container. This would involve turning of the water at its source, removing the hose from the pressurizing side of the container, and applying the hose to the other side of the container. The water must be emptied from the pressurizing side or capped to prevent spilling the water in the pressurizing side while the hose is being transferred to the chemical side of the container for rinsing.
One problem present in all of the above devices is the necessity that the chemical for application must be placed in the chemical applicator tank by the user, typically by pouring from the container in which the chemical is provided from the manufacture. In many of the known devices, this procedure is messy and cumbersome.
Often the chemical must then be diluted with water, either manually or by diluting it with the same liquid used to pressurize the device. Concentration of the diluted product may vary depending on how the amount of liquid added to the chemical, and it is difficult for a use to accurately control the concentration to a desired ratio. Moreover, the product solution may be inconsistent in its concentration if the user does not mix the solution thoroughly or the pressurizing liquid is supplied too quickly to the chemical applicator tank.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a device for dispensing a chemical product and a method therefor that substantially obviate one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to provide a bag-in-bottle, ready-to-use (RTU) chemical dispensing system using fluid pressure as a means to collapse a product bag containing a chemical product, thereby expelling the contents of the product bag through an applicator.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a bag-in-bottle, RTU chemical dispensing system having a valve cover that allows for discontinuing the supply of pressurizing fluid to the applicator.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a bag-in-bottle RTU chemical dispensing system having a valve cover that allows for rinsing of the applicator reservoir using the pressurizing fluid.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a bag-in-bottle, RTU chemical dispensing system which provides premixed chemical product in sealed ready-to-use product bags configured to be inserted unopened into the chemical dispensing system.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method for applying a chemical product including the steps of providing a chemical product in a sealed collapsible container, placing the sealed collapsible container in a sealable reservoir, piercing the collapsible container to provide an opening, providing fluid between the exterior of the collapsible container and the reservoir to push product from the collapsible container.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, the present invention includes a device for dispensing a chemical product, comprising: a reservoir; a collapsible container configured to be inserted in the reservoir, the reservoir being sealed after the collapsible container is inserted to the reservoir; an applicator; a connecting tube configured to conduct product from the collapsible container to the applicator; and a valve configured to conduct fluid from an external source to a volume formed by the exterior of the collapsible bag and the interior of the reservoir.
Another aspect of the present invention includes a valve to control the output of the dispensing system.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.